Modern day holmium laser systems for ureteroscopy (URS) provide users with a range of settings, namely pulse energy (PE), pulse frequency (Fr), and pulse width (PW). These variables allow the surgeon to choose different combinations that have specific effects on stone fragmentation during URS lithotripsy. Contact laser lithotripsy can be performed using fragmentation or dusting settings. Fragme...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Endoscopic applications of Erbium:YAG lasers are still very limited due to lack of appropriate fiber delivery capabilities. Recent reports on potential advantages of this laser for lithotripsy of ureteral stones prompted us to develop an Er:YAG fiber delivery system for endoscopic lithotripsy of salivary stones. We report on the development of this system and its clini...

BACKGROUND There are many options for urologists to treat ureteral stones that range from 8 mm to 15 mm, including ESWL and ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy. While both ESWL and ureteroscopy are effective and minimally invasive procedures, there is still controversy over which one is more suitable for ureteral stones. OBJECTIVE To perform a retrospective study to compare the efficiency...

INTRODUCTION Laser lithotripsy of bile duct stones has become a widely accepted endoscopic treatment modality for giant, impacted, or very hard stones. The procedure is usually carried out under direct endoscopic control in view of the potential risk of bile duct injuries in "blind" laser application. AIMS To investigate the use of a rhodamine 6G laser lithotriptor with an integrated optical ...

OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy and safety of high-power holmium: yttrium aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) laser lithotripsy for multitract modified minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy (MPCNL) in the treatment of patients with large staghorn renal calculi. METHODS A randomized, prospective study was conducted. Two-hundred seventy-three consecutive patients (291 renal units) with large...

Introduction—Laser lithotripsy of bile duct stones has become a widely accepted endoscopic treatment modality for giant, impacted, or very hard stones. The procedure is usually carried out under direct endoscopic control in view of the potential risk of bile duct injuries in “blind” laser application. Aims—To investigate the use of a rhodamine 6G laser lithotriptor with an integrated optical st...

introduction: the aim of this study is to compare holmium laser (ll) with pneumatic lithoclast (pl) in patients with upper ureteral stones and their ability to destruct the stones and making the patient stone free. we also compare the duration of these procedures and their complications, such as urosepsis, perforation, and pushing the stone backward. methods: this has been a clinical randomized...

PURPOSE to test the effect of stone entrapment on laser lithotripsy efficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS Spherical stone phantoms were created using the BegoStone® plaster. Lithotripsy of one stone (1.0 g) per test jar was performed with Ho:YAG laser (365 µm fiber; 1 minute/trial). Four laser settings were tested: I-0.8 J,8 Hz; II-0.2J,50 Hz; III-0.5 J,50 Hz; IV-1.5 J,40 Hz. Uro-Net (US Endoscop...

During pulsed laser lithotripsy, the calculus is subject to a strong recoil momentum which moves the calculus away from laser delivery and prolongs the operation. This study was designed to quantify the recoil momentum during Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy. The correlation among crater shape, debris trajectory, laser-induced bubble and recoil momentum was investigated. Calculus phantoms made from pla...